The Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail [39]
"And you found a grown up woman with all the silly curls in their proper place--much older--very much older. It is a habit we have in Scotland of growing older."
"Older?"
"Yes, older, and more sober and sensible--and plainer."
"Plainer?" The doctor's mind was evidently not working with its usual ease and swiftness, partly from amazement at the transformation that had resulted in this tall slender young lady standing before him with her stately air, and partly from rage at himself and his unutterable stupidity.
"But you have not answered me," said the girl, obviously taken aback at the doctor's manner. "Where is my brother? He was to meet me. This is Cal--gar--ry, is it not?"
"It's Calgary all right," cried the doctor, glad to find in this fact a solid resting place for his mind.
"And my brother? There is nothing wrong?" The alarm in her voice brought him to himself.
"Wrong? Not a bit. At least, not much."
"Not much? Tell me at once, please." With an imperious air the young lady lifted her head and impaled the doctor with her flashing brown eyes.
"Well," said the doctor in halting confusion, "you see, he met with an accident."
"An accident?" she cried. "You are hiding something from me, Mr. Martin. My brother is ill, or--"
"No, no, not he. An Indian hit him on the head," said the doctor, rendered desperate by her face.
"An Indian?" Her cry, her white face, the quick clutch of her hands at her heart, roused the doctor's professional instincts and banished his confusion.
"He is perfectly all right, I assure you, Miss Cameron. Only it was better that he should have his sleep out. He was most anxious to meet you, but as his medical adviser I urged him to remain quiet and offered to come in his place. His wife is with him. A day's rest, believe me, will make him quite fit." The doctor's manner was briskly professional and helped to quiet the girl's alarm.
"Can I see him?" she asked.
"Most certainly, in a few hours when he wakes and when you are rested. Here, Billy, take Miss Cameron's checks. Look sharp."
"Say, Doc," said Billy in an undertone, "about that tea and toast--"
"What the deuce--?" said the doctor impatiently. "Oh, yes--all right! Only look lively."
"Keep her a-viewin' the scenery, Doc, a bit," continued Billy under his breath.
"Oh, get a move on, Billy! What are you monkeying about?" said the doctor quite crossly. He was anxious to escape from a position that had become intolerable to him. For months he had been looking forward to this meeting and now he had bungled it. In the first place he had begun by not knowing the girl who for three years and more had been in his dreams day and night, then he had carried himself like a schoolboy in her presence, and lastly had frightened her almost to death by his clumsy announcement of her brother's accident. The young lady at his side, with the quick intuition of her Celtic nature, felt his mood, and, not knowing the cause, became politely distant.
On their walk to the hotel Dr. Martin pointed out the wonderful pearly gray light stealing across the plain and beginning to brighten on the tops of the rampart hills that surrounded the town.
"You will see the Rockies in an hour, Miss Cameron, in the far west there," he said. But there was no enthusiasm in his voice.
"Ah, yes, how beautiful!" said the young lady. But her tone, too, was lifeless.
Desperately the doctor strove to make conversation during their short walk and with infinite relief did he welcome the appearance of Mandy at her bedroom door waiting their approach.
"Your brother's wife, Miss Cameron," said he.
For a single moment they stood searching each other's souls. Then by some secret intuition known only to the female mind they reached a conclusion, an entirely satisfactory conclusion, too, for at once they were in each other's arms.
"You are Moira?" cried Mandy.
"Yes," said the girl in an eager, tremulous voice. "And my brother? Is he well?"
"Well? Of course he is--perfectly fine. He is sleeping